P Cygni - One of the Hottest Supergiants in the Galaxy
What's in a name | |
Claim to Fame: | One of the brightest distant stars in the galaxy. Remarkable wind blowing off a portion of the outer atmosphere. Losing mass at the rate of 1 solar mass every 10,000 years. Variable star with apparent visual magnitude ranging from 3 to 6 (the eye can see to apparent magnitudes of 5 or 6 on a moonless night). |
Type of Star: | Rare Blue Supergiant (B1 Iae Spectral Class) |
How Far Away: | About 6300 light years |
How Big: | Roughly 76 times the size of the Sun |
How Bright: | On average, about 750,000 times as luminous as the Sun |
Where to View: | Located in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan (Star Map). |
When to View: | Cygnus is best viewed June - November from the northern hemisphere |
Last modified January 18, 2006 by Travis Metcalfe.